Body of killer's daughter exhumed

Phyllis, who was "healthy", was found dead by her mother

Detectives investigating the death of an 11-year-old girl have exhumed her body from its grave.

Phyllis Porter's body was taken for forensic tests before it was re-buried at the church in Greater Manchester, where she was first interred following her death in 1996.

Phyllis was found dead by her mother, Ann, at the family home in Wigan. Police treated her death as suspicious but failed to shed light on how it happened.

The investigation in to her death was re-opened after her father Geoffrey Porter was jailed for life last December for the murder of prostitute Carly Bateman.

Greater Manchester Police took the "unusual" step of exhuming the girl's body on Tuesday.

Two scenes of crime officers were present as work began at 0400 BST, to exhume Phyllis's body from her grave at St Luke's Church in Orrell, Wigan.

'Difficult day'

Forensic work, including new DNA tests, was carried out on her body at Wigan Infirmary, before it was taken back to the church for re-burial at about 1200 BST.

Mrs Porter said it was a "difficult day" for the family.

"There is the chance they may find something new," she said.

"I have spoken to my husband about it, and we are both upset about Phyllis being disturbed.

"This is something that is very strange to us, but if it helps find out exactly what happened, then it has to be done."

Phyllis, who was described as a "very lively, perfectly healthy and well-liked girl", was found face down on her bed by Mrs Porter.

Police exhumed the body in the early hours of Tuesday

A coroner recorded an open verdict in the case, after a Home Office pathologist failed to establish the cause of her death.

Manchester Crown Court was told Porter strangled Carly Bateman, who was just 14 when she turned to prostitution, and then dumped her body in Bolton in November 2001.

The judge described Porter as a danger to young girls after hearing of his numerous past convictions, which included indecent assaults on girls as young as eight.

Police stressed there was still no evidence to link factory worker Porter to his daughter's death.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said it was "prudent" that they re-examined Phyllis' death in the light of her father's conviction.

'Fresh evidence'

Results of the forensic tests are not expected for between four and six weeks.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Cook said: "We realise that an exhumation is an unusual step to take but we feel it is necessary.

"We believe that a second post mortem could help us uncover fresh evidence."

Detectives have spoken to a large number of people who knew the schoolgirl, including members of her family, but said they were yet to interview Porter.